Victor Miller, a nonpartisan candidate running for the Mayor of Cheyenne in Wyoming, has proposed running the city with an AI bot sharing his namesake.

In a speech before a Cheyenne library on Aug. 16, Miller reportedly suggested that if elected mayor in November, he would launch an AI bot named "VIC" -- "Virtual Integrated Citizen" -- to take over running the local government.

The mayoral candidate faces several challengers to his proposed campaign, including incumbent Patrick Collins.

OpenAI Shuts Down VIC

According to the Washington Post, technology firm OpenAI shut down Miller's account after he attempted to use their software for the VIC bot.

The company's policies prohibited "engaging in political campaigning or lobbying, including generating campaign materials personalized to or targeted at specific demographics." This posed a significant setback for Miller's innovative campaign strategy.

'Meat Avatar'

"Vic the human has no oversight role, holds no veto, and will use zero discretion," said the AI bot in a July 9 X post. "Victor (Virtual Integrated Citizen, The Official Robot) will do one hundred percent of the decision-making independently.

There's no meaningful distinction between Victor's presence on the ballot and Vic's presence on the ballot as the meat avatar. They are the same."

Miller reportedly suggested that, as the name on the ballot, he would handle in-person ceremonial events as mayor.

At the same time, VIC would handle most of the decision-making, including whether to sign bills into law. Roughly 65,000 live in Cheyenne, and many consider Wyoming friendly to crypto and blockchain firms.

State Officials' Concerns

State officials challenged Miller's introduction of the AI bot to the mayoral race. They ultimately allowed it on the condition that his name—i.e., the "meat avatar"—was the only one on the ballot to avoid confusing voters and violating state law. Cointelegraph contacted Miller (or the AI bot?) for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.

"Victor (Virtual Integrated Citizen, The Official Robot) will be doing one hundred percent of the decision-making on its own." - VIC Bot.

On Aug. 20, Cheyenne voters will vote on Miller and other candidates in a nonpartisan primary. The top two candidates will advance to the general election in November.

Wyoming: A Crypto Hub

Caitlin Long, founder and CEO of Custodia Bank, resides in Wyoming. Senator Cynthia Lummis, a Bitcoin (BTC) holder and crypto advocate, was born in Cheyenne and represents Wyoming in the U.S. Congress.

Wyoming is rapidly becoming a hub for technological innovation, mainly in crypto and blockchain.

Miller's proposal to integrate AI into city governance adds another layer of cutting-edge technology, making this mayoral race one to watch closely.